Welcome to season 4, which is the best season of the show in my opinion. All the characters are clicking and pretty much every episode is a classic!
Season 4, Episode 1
Boob Job
Plot Summary-Debra gets insecure when Ray suggests he’d like it if she got a boob job
Nitpick of the episode-who has a parents night in a parents home? Isn’t that usually in school?
Best Line–“Marie did it the natural way. Pound cake!”…Frank
Episode Fun Fact –The funny thing is that Patricia Heaton really did have a boob job over the hiatus.
Deleted Scenes-Frank won’t let kids watch tv (this is an alternate opening)
Syndication Edit-Ray yelling up the stairs to Debra
Best Character-Frank, in this episode when he sees Debra with the boob job he is clearly aroused but it’s underplayed unlike later episodes
Worst Character-Debra, setting Ray up like that was awful. The fact that Ray even said his initial comment about Debra getting a boob job is because she asked. Granted he should have just said no but she’s the one who read into it. Talk about going the extra mile for an argument and prove a point that didn’t need to be proven.
Final Thoughts-I would win this one, hands down! If my wife told me she had surgery without talking to me I promise I would not be staring at her with my tongue hanging out! This is going to come up again but here we go with the “its ok for women to look at men but men can’t look at women” double standard. And why do women expect men to stop looking after they’re married, they’re not dead! But I think I’ll save that rant for another episode. While it’s true Ray asks like a horny idiot when he sees Debra she did go out of her way to trick him. And I agree with him 100% when they finally do get to the argument.
Grade-B-
Season 4, Episode 2
The Can Opener
Plot Summary-Ray and Debra have a fight over a can opener
Nitpick of the episode-The cool thing is we never really see the fight, just how it went thru Ray an Debra’s eyes. Knowing these characters so well we can extrapolate and figure out how it really happened. And you gotta love Ray’s version showing Debra just sitting reading a magazine when he comes home which she would never do. I think Debra’s version was probably closer to the mark.
Best Line-“You wanted a thank you? Where was my thank you? I waltzed in huh? I dragged my ass home everyday after ten hours stuck in a suit, stuck in an office, stuck in a car, and if I needed coins to pay the toll… that got me to that job… THAT PAID FOR THAT MEAT… THAT MADE THAT FAT… THEN I’LL DUMP IT OUT WHENEVER I WANT AND I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU SAY!”…Frank
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none
Syndication Edit-top of act 1, Marie cleans Ray up
Best Character-Robert, he’s basically the mediator here and is funny
Worst Character-Marie, love how excited she gets when Ray complains about Debra
Final Thoughts-One of my favorite Marie and Frank arguments because It’s a classic argument all men and women have. Why is it women are supposed to be praised for the work they do but husbands get no respect at all for their work? It’s a good question and very well written and acted in this episode. Another thing married couples do is fight over silly little things, which is exactly what this is all about. The thing about this series is the way they focus on small details in the hope people will say “oh that isn’t just me? Every couple has these kind of fights!”
Grade-A, this is the series at its best
Season 4, Episode 3
You Bet
Plot Summary-Frank uses Ray to bet on sports
Nitpick of the episode-Why couldn’t Frank be more direct with Ray rather than pussyfooting around
Best Line-“God made man to sew his seed where he may. He made woman to limit the crop to one farmer.”…frank
Episode Fun Fact –Sounds like Patricia Heaton had a sore throat in this episode
Deleted Scenes-Ray has cold feet in bed (this was a smart edit)
Syndication Edit-top of the teaser
Best Character-Ray, I like the way he handles things here
Worst Character-Marie, it’s amazing how she tries to make the situation about her even when it’s clear it doesn’t have anything to do with her
Final Thoughts-This episode is good though oddly paced. It seems to take forever to get to the point. The characters are all on point and the situation is believable.
Grade-B-
Season 4, Episode 4
Sex Talk
Plot Summary-Debra complains about her sex life
Nitpick of the episode-Debra accuses of Ray of losing his sex drive. Ray???? The guy who drools over you and is always trying to have more sex? And of course when he brings up all the rejection from her she scoffs.
Best Line-“I would rather not be known as the hoar of Lynnbrook”…Marie
Episode Fun Fact –This is one of the few times we actually see Marie barging over for almost no reason in the middle of the day. We also see Ray shy about discussing sex with his father which would come up again.
Deleted Scenes-Ray questions the sex book, Ray hides from ally when she starts asking questions (and finally uses that pointless bench sitting in the back of the set). Good scene to bad it was trimmed.
Syndication Edit-top of act 1, Debra trying to turn a distracted ray on
Best Character-Robert, he is the funniest part of that final scene despite barely a line of dialogue
Worst Character-Debra, the episode opens with Debra napping on the sofa. Yep, she never gets a break all day. Right
Final Thoughts-This is another great episode, simple slice of life stuff. And once again Marie and frank are the best part. We get another reveal from Marie and this one is also pretty funny. Marie is old school and would be shy about discussing her sex life. And people do forget that just because a couple is old doesn’t meant they can’t still be sexual active.
Grade-A-
Season 4, Episode 5
The Will
Plot Summary-Ray and Debra need to pick guardians for their kids
Nitpick of the episode-I love how flimsy Marie’s excuse for barging over is here. She says she came over because there was a strange car in the driveway and she thought there might be something wrong. And in literally her next line, she says she just came over to see Bernie and Linda’s baby. Uh huh. If she knew who was over she also knew there was nothing wrong!
Best Line-“That was a little fast. Right? Yeah. Your social security number, you got to look that up, but that number, oh yeah. Right there, right on the tip of your tongue.”…Ray
Episode Fun Fact –
Deleted Scenes-none
Syndication Edit-Robert convinces Ray to get the will
Best Character-Frank, at least he’s honest
Worst Character-Robert, the way he tries to sabotage things is a bit to mean spirited for the character. Though it wont be the last time he does something heartless to screw up Ray’s plans.
Final Thoughts-Debra should have been worst character. Ray tells the story of how a foul ball came flying into the press box and all Debra can do is mock him with one of her classic eye rolls. By the way Debra people have been seriously injured by errant foul balls! And why does she fight so hard against having Marie and Frank be the guardians, is that really so different from being the kids grandparents and seeing them constantly?? I just don’t get it, Ray suggests Marie and Frank and she jumps like the idea is preposterous. Why? She does know this is hypothetical, right?? So basically it’s not enough the kids would lose their parents, but they would be forced to live with strangers rather than the family they know and love. You know the more you think about the less funny this episode is. In fact this episode is another case of Ray and/or Debra bringing trouble onto themselves. Because if Debra had never told Marie anything (or just picked them in the first place) it all would have worked out. And the way Robert and Marie try to sabotage Ray and Debra’s efforts is just mean. Just because they disagree with the choice doesn’t mean they’re allowed to interfere. It’s no wonder Bernie and Linda said no!
Grade-C+, I had it at B- but lowered the grade after thinking about it, truth is Debra isn’t thinking of the kids she is thinking of herself. Just because she has issues with Ray’s parents doesn’t mean the kids should be punished.
Be back with more soon!
